‘After almost destroying our planet, our families have become allies’: the thrilling audio series from John F. Kennedy & Khrushchev’s relatives.

During the month of October 1962, the planet came nearer toward destruction than at any other point during modern times. This happened following the discovery that an American surveillance plane identified that Soviet atomic missile installations were under construction on the island of Cuba, less than 100 miles off the coast of the US mainland. In response, U.S. President John F Kennedy directed the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet to establish a maritime quarantine encircling Cuba. The ensuing period constituted almost 14 days filled with unbearable stress.

An Unthinkable Danger

The threat remained palpable. If Kennedy, or else his Soviet counterpart, Premier Khrushchev, had fired on their enemy, a cascade involving global atomic attacks followed by retaliatory strikes could have ensued, thrusting humanity toward all-out destruction.

The Cuban missile crisis has been documented extensively, in volumes, films, and television programmes. However, in its latest installment, the BBC World Service podcast titled "The Bomb" presents an unprecedented element into the story. It is co-presented featuring Kennedy's relative alongside Nina Khrushcheva, relatives belonging to the leaders that, for 13 days, grasped the fate of the planet within their grasp.

"What were the Russians considering? What was the American side considering?" ponders Khrushcheva, the Soviet leader's descendant who is also a professor of global relations.

For her, the strength of the podcast lies in its attempt to objectively ask: "How can people detest one another to the point they oppose one another?"

"I am acutely aware how remarkable the fact that individuals have the potential to be friends or else have the potential to be total enemies," states Max Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy, related to the late president and now an author and attorney. "We see this dynamic over and over when nations enter into conflict, and it just illustrates the sheer folly it is to fight."

A Brink Towards Catastrophe

What is remarkable about this event was that, because it unfolded in the global spotlight, individuals globally were able to observe nearly in real time while it moved towards armageddon. Even so, the danger of destruction came closer than what most people realised.

"The overwhelming majority in the White House were advocating for a military strike and an invasion," notes Max Kennedy. "Had the U.S. struck Cuba with the naval blockade, undoubtedly Soviet forces on the ground would've launched a nuclear warhead against the US Sixth Fleet, which would've obliterated the naval vessels as well as sunk America's primary fleet. And, we would have responded with an overwhelming counterattack that would have eradicated most life on Earth."

The reality it didn’t is a testament to both leaders, they succeeded in remain calm and engaging in diplomacy when everyone around them demanded military action. As a result, The Soviet premier removed the nuclear weapons in Cuba and Kennedy (although not reported at the time) withdrew his missiles based in Turkey. The sense of relief was palpable, matched by the sense of hope.

The Divergent Viewpoint

Still, during those 13 days in October, the fear was palpable globally. The Bomb’s co-hosts came into the world shortly after these events, with Khrushcheva learned about the crisis through the Soviet education system, which presented a slightly different narrative of what happened.

"You said your father recalls it, and it was a scary day," Khrushcheva notes. "However in the Soviet Union, the public were largely unaware a great deal regarding the crisis, because it was a tense situation, and in the Soviet Union we were told that everything was constantly fine or sunny."

Inside Khrushchev’s family, though, the perspective was distinct. "I was informed that it was a triumphant occasion it was, as it represented a direct confrontation. They were able to find a solution, thus didn’t start a global war, seen as a positive outcome," she adds. Later on, however, that perspective would not be shared by all Russians. "For decades within Russian historical analysis, the crisis was viewed as a setback for the Soviet leader, because he didn’t blow up America."

An Unlikely Partnership

This podcast is so even-handed , expertly crafted that Nina jokes it almost made her forget she already knew outcome. This effect is, in part, thanks to the participation of renowned scholars. But, truly, the most groundbreaking thing remains the involvement of the hosts themselves. Even within living memory, it was unthinkable for descendants of the heads of state of the United States and USSR to appear side by side. That Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva are able to do so, and exhibit such warmth toward one another, has to be a symbol of progress.

"Max and I aren't the pioneers," notes Khrushcheva. "Following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, my uncle moved to America and formed a close bond with the former president's family."

"However we had never met before the podcast," adds Max. "Which is a shame since we connected immediately and now we are friends, which is wonderful. Finally, after almost 60 years of nearly annihilating the planet, our families have become friends, suggesting global relations is more secure, somewhat."

Contemporary Echoes and Current Perils

Is that truly the case? One reason the reason this series feels so necessary is because we now find ourselves living through dark times. The Doomsday Clock stands nearer to catastrophe than ever before, partly since world leaders appear not to be able to learn